I Will Give Him the Morning Star

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. Revelation 2:26-28

Today is my husband Mark's birthday. Today has been proceeded by what most would say was a challenging week. Nothing life threatening but a series of trials and tests, stumbles and sick animals. The time during Advent is pretty stressful in a clergy household as it is. That is the nature of things. Adding to that is trying to get ready for the first Christmas in our new home. Messy days and weeks are bound to happen. Life happens - and Mark is one of the few people I know who has faced these ups and downs with grace, tenderness and a sense of humor. I am blessed.

The promise from Revelation is that those who keep Christ's works, they will receive the morning star. Well, this is not the end of any age or anything, but I think that Mark should be receiving his morning star pretty soon. He has kept the work of Christ - love with patience, compassion and tenderness - all of his days. He finds way to renew broken things, makes up stories to cheer our days, lightens everyone's load by sharing the work. Reading at our daughter's wedding, he brought tears to every eye, all of us knowing how much and how well he loves us all. Can there be any better gift?

I do not know how to wrap a morning star, nor whether I will be able to find one today for him. What I will do is try to make very moment of his birthday full of the light and love he brings to all of us. I pray that God gives me the strength today to live love for my partner of so many years. And may God bless us all today with the strength to persist to the end. May we all see the morning star, the promise of love eternal, in our lives today.